Kev Rogers

A Mansfield Woodhouse woman has set up as a mental wellness coach drawing on what she learned her own daunting experience of becoming Bi Polar.

Joanna Roe 39 wants to raise awareness of the condition which she began her own journey through four years ago and to improve the quality of life of people who have it.

Joe said: “I have had two serious Manic Bipolar Episodes, both of which included hallucinations and delusions.

“These episodes led to hospitalisation, in 2013 for eight weeks and in 2015 for four weeks.

“It was a very scary, difficult and devastating time for myself and my family. I have previously been diagnosed with anxiety and depression and experienced stress.

“I have also had chronic fatigue, which left me virtually bed ridden for three months.”

As part of her recovery, she was initially heavily sedated on medication and had weight gain from the side effects, which also impacted her concentration and energy levels.

She said: “I now live a life style that promotes mental wellness, such as positive morning rituals, eating nutritional food for my mind, gentle exercise, living more in the now and having a sound bed time routine. Coaching has been a key part of my recovery and maintaining my Wellness.”

Joe is now a mental wellness and specialist Bipolar Coach and is launching her new business Joe Roe Coaching and website joeroe.co.uk today on World Bipolar Day (March 30 2017).

She said: “I am lucky and grateful to have a strong network around me, especially my fiancé who has been 100 per cent supportive with my Bipolar and his belief in me as part of my wellness and future, is incredible.

“Support from my family and friends, has been invaluable, especially when I have been at crisis point.

“I have witnessed people, who do not have this support and must be very daunting.”

“Being passionate about coaching, I love to watch people achieve their goals and aspirations in life.

Joe has successfully completed her Coaching Diploma and an NLP Practitioner Certificate, both of which are accredited by the National Council of Psychotherapists (NCP).

She said: “I worked for Nottinghamshire County Council as a customer service team manager for 12 years and I love developing people. Coaching became the next natural step for me, as part of my personal life mission and vision, to make a positive meaningful difference to other people’s lives.”

She added: “My approach to coaching is, working together to coach people on their own unique journey, rather than any mental health label, to successfully achieve living a life full of purpose. I also feel it is important for people to work with their medical professionals and specialists too.”